The meeting was opened by Ambassador Miguel Palomino de la Gala, Chairman of the CSTD and Director of Science and Technology at Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who emphasized the importance of the two priority themes of the sixteenth session, which are Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Cities and Broadband Internet for an Inclusive Digital Society.

In his address to the Commission, Mr. Pulgar Vidal, Minister of the Environment, highlighted the crucial role of science, technology and innovation in achieving sustainable development, and cited the efforts that had been made by Peru to achieve economic growth while reducing carbon emissions.

The meeting includes sessions on the follow-up to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), and on the Annual Ministerial Review of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which in 2013 will deal with the theme of Science, technology and innovation (STI) and culture for sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals.

Anne Miroux, Director of UNCTAD's Division on Technology and Logistics, introduced the first priority theme, saying that an integrated, cross-sectoral approach was necessary for building sustainable cities. She emphasized the key role of a coalition of stakeholders in implementing sustainable practices in cities. Such stakeholders, she said, included local government, civil society and the private sector.

The discussion of the second priority theme of Broadband Internet for an Inclusive Digital Society featured an address by Janis Karklins, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The meeting has also benefited from the participation of experts from national, regional and international organizations and from academia, civil society and the private sector.

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The attendees include representatives from 29 CSTD Member States, and from Observer States, United Nations specialized agencies, and non-governmental organizations. A number of high-level Peruvian officials also participated in Monday's opening session, including:

President of the Science and Technology Commission of the Congress of the Republic of Peru, Mr. Jesús Pánfilo Hurtado Zamudio

President of the Region of Lambayeque, Mr. Humberto Peña

Mayor of the District of Los Olivos, Mr. Felipe Baldomero Castillo Alfaro

President of the National Council of Science, Technology and Innovation (CONCYTEC), Ms. Gisella Orjeda

President of the National Competitiveness Council, Ms. Angélica Matsuda

Chief of the National E-government Office of Peru, Mr. Ronald Barrientos

President of the National Assembly of Rectors, Mr. Orlando Velasquez Benites

Rectors of the five largest universities in Peru

Deputy Minister for Industry and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Ms. Magaly Silva Velarde

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ms. Tábata Dulce Vivanco.

The outcome of the Intersessional Panel held in Lima will be reported to the sixteenth session of the CSTD that will take place in June 2013 in Geneva.